The present invention is related to a device having the combined features of a glove and a garden tool. More particularly, the present invention is related to a garden tool which includes the general shape or form of a glove, and with grip means located on the interior of the glove, in order to provide for ease of use and control of garden tools or implements, while protecting the hand and forearm from scratches, dirt and the like.
Various garden tools are known in the art, including tools for digging, raking, weeding and the like, employing configurations which include forks, tines, scoops or spade-type configurations in order to carry out various gardening chores. While gloves may often be worn in the use of such tools, the use of ordinary garden gloves does not altogether prevent the scratching and soiling of the hands of the gardener. In addition, some of the garden gloves presently on the market are rather cumbersome and thus do not allow a firm grip to be maintained while using garden tools, with the result that the tool may slip from the hand of the gardener during use, possibly causing damage or injury to the plants being cultivated as well as to the gardener himself.
One prior art device for use as a gardener's glove is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,803, in which there is described a glove construction having flexible tool elements associated with the finger members. Another device of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,832, in which the glove construction is provided with tool elements which are detachable from the glove so that the glove may be used to protect the user's hand without the use of the tool elements.
By the present invention, there is provided an improved device having the combined features of a glove and garden tool, which device is constructed so as to overcome the disadvantages previously mentioned. The device of the present invention includes a glove element, having a sleeve attached on one end thereof and a tool element on the opposite end, and with a bar grip positioned on the interior of the glove. In one embodiment, the tool element is provided with forks or tines for use as a rake, for example, and the bar grip is positioned horizontally across the interior width of the glove. In another embodiment, the tool element is in the form of a scoop or spade-type element, and the bar grip is positioned vertically within the interior of the glove. The use of such a bar grip construction has been found to result in improved control of the tool element, while providing all the advantages of the use of gloves for protecting the hands and forearm.
An additional feature of the present invention includes the attachment of a bracket on the upper, forward portion of the glove element to receive a second tool element which is detachably connected thereto. Alternatively, a bracket for receiving a second tool element may be affixed directly to the shaft of the main fixed tool element. As another embodiment, a threaded connection may be employed for attachment of the main tool element which is connected directly to the bar grip. In an alternative embodiment, the bar grip is provided with grooves and ridges to allow the bar to be gripped more firmly.